The invention relates generally to bale size indicators for balers of large round bales and, more specifically, to a bale size indicator that is quickly and easily adjustable to indicate a "near full" and a "full bale" condition over a wide range of bale diameters.
Baling machines such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,722,197 and 4,172,354 have revolutionized the baling industry. These balers form large cylindrical bales of crop material. A plurality of endless belts transversely spaced across the width of the baler form a baling chamber. Crop material is picked up by a crop pick up mechanism which feeds the crop material into the baling chamber. The endless belts roll and compress the crop material to form the bale. A belt tension mechanism keeps tension on the endless belts during the bale forming operation. Bales may be formed that are up to six feet or more in diameter.
Baler operators often desire to tailor bale diameter to a variety of handling capacities and storage requirements. Previously, bale diameter was regulated by monitoring a mechanical pointer attached to the belt tension mechanism as it moved along a stationary scale with bale diameter demarcations. The baler operator watched the pointer and stopped baling when the desired bale diameter was reached. Later, electrical near-full and full bale magnetic reed switches were added to indicate bale diameter. These switches were mounted on the baler frame and tripped by switch flags pivotally moved by the belt tension mechanism. As the bale reached near-full and full size, the flags changed the state of the switch and sent a signal to the operator in the form of lights and buzzers. The critical bale diameter was regulated by adjusting the location of the flags on the belt tension mechanism.
The present invention is a bale size indicator with both mechanical and electric indicating means. The mechanical system includes a stationary pointer and a moving scale positioned on an indicator member that attaches to the belt tension mechanism. The indicator member contains switch flags which change the state of bale size indicator switches. Having the switch flags on the indicator members rather than the belt tension mechanism allows the operator to select quickly and easily a wide range of "full bale" diameters on the indicator member which thereby automatically adjusts the flags to trip the switches at the adjusted diameters.